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A mixed start to May Bumps 2019 lead to a bump from M1, close row-over from W1, who came within half a length of Trinity Hall W1, and both second boats being bumped.

Crew

Wednesday

M1

+1 (Queens')

W1

row-over

W2

-1 (Clare Hall)

M2

-1 (Pembroke III)

W1: Row-over

Written by Martha Crass (Capt.)

The weather may have been pretty abysmal, but we were ready to take on our first race of the week and show both Trinity Hall, and the lashing rain, what we were made of. We knew that in order to reclaim our rightful position in Division 1, we had to bump up, which would then give us the chance to row as sandwich boat at the bottom of the next division. There was a huge queue at marshalling, which meant sitting in the rain for a while - but also meant we got a good look at our competition before we rowed down to our station.

As each of the cannons fired, we began to focus on the race ahead, and finally as the starting cannon went off we punched out our start - perhaps it wasn’t our best, but was certainly good enough to send us on our way and soon we began to gain on Tit Hall. One length, half a length, slowly but surely we chased them down, with some spectacular coxing lines from Keir giving us the advantage round the corners.

We hovered around one third of a length for a painfully long time...and perhaps it was too long, as they began to creep away as we charged down the Reach. We pushed through until the end, but they slipped away. However, they failed to bump up into Division 1, rowing over in parallel with Queens, which means only one thing: Thursday is Round 2 of Tit Hall vs King’s, and this time we’re going to get them.

M1: Bumped Queens'

Written by Adam Townson (Co-capt.)

A victorious M1 rowing back after bumping, featuring the 'big-K' special-edition kit. Photo by Giorgio Divitini.

The first day of May Bumps was the day that we had been waiting for all term. Training for Bumps had started in advance of the beginning of Easter Term. Following on from a successful Lents campaign, competition for a seat in M1 was fierce. We went through the whole term with the plan of rowing 7 days a week – and we largely stuck to that plan. Everyone was excited to row in the boat and keen to make the changes to make the boat go faster. Under the guidance of Will Miller, we knew we had potential to have a good campaign.

After a solid run in to bumps – we were ready to see how much speed we had gained over the term. Queens’ lay ahead. Conditions were still and despite the rain, everyone was in good spirits. We had a solid row on the warm-up down to the start. Wearing our new Big-K -special-edition kits, it was time to begin our campaign. We had one of the best starts of term and came out firing. We hit the wash that the boats had churned up and the race was on. We didn’t panic in the wash a hit a loose rhythm coming up first post reach – granting us our first whistle. Calm coxing and tight lines coming through first post corner and grassy brought us closer to the bump. A big lift coming out of grassy put us onto a long and smooth rhythm and made the bump certain. We bumped outside the plough. This now leaves Jesus ahead of us for Thursday.

W2: Bumped by Clare Hall

Written by Amanda McHugh

W2 managed to catch the absolute worst of the weather yesterday, going out (with our fancy new blades) as it started bucketing down and coming back just as it stopped. Soggy and not too pleased with the rain, we managed to get within a length of Clare W3 before we were called to hold it up under the railway bridge due to carnage on the river. That meant a re-row (and more time in the rain), and the second time we got within a length of Clare W3 but unfortunately, we were caught by Clare Hall (we can blame it on being weighed down by the inch or so of water that had collected in the bottom of the boat by that point. This now puts King’s W2 as the sandwich boat at the top of the fourth division, with the aim of rowing over and regaining our position in the third division, something we’re looking forward to doing in equally disgusting weather.